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Minimal success recorded in fight against suicides in Guyana

Nov 08, 2009 News

The suicide success rate in Guyana is fortunately minimal, given that of the more than 500 attempts made yearly the death toll average is close to 200, according to the Health Ministry.
Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, in addressing residents of Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder, recently highlighted the negative impacts of self-harm and attempted suicide in Guyana.
He noted that suicide ranks in the top 10 of causes of deaths in Guyana. In 2008, there were 169 deaths caused by suicide.
Between 2003 and 2007, the figure varied from 171 in 2005 to 202 in 2006. These are similar to the number of deaths caused by suicide and reported in Guyana since 1995.
Generally, more than 80 per cent of the suicide deaths are men with more than 90 per cent of the deaths being persons between the ages of 15 and 44 years old.
For 2009, there is a recorded almost 400 suicide attempts, with more than 60 per cent occurring in Region Six.
According to the Ministry, while it has not yet verified the number of deaths due to suicide so far this year, at least 60 persons are on record as having taken their own lives.
The Minister insisted that the Ministry of Health couldn’t address the problem alone adding that there must be a multi-sector approach and a comprehensive partnership at the community level.
The Minister of Health reiterated his call for faith-based organisations and other groups to become more engaged to provide community support for persons who need help in confronting the challenges they face in their lives.
He stated that he is of the opinion that two important areas that need to be addressed are identifying and treating persons with clinical depression as well as alcohol use.
He noted that guidelines have been developed and training of primary health care workers has taken place.
“We have also developed a literacy programme for the population to make them aware of the debilitating effects of depression on the population and its link to suicide. In 2009 we focused on developing these training programmes, but these programmes will be robustly scaled up in 2010.”
He said that the role of alcohol in causing social distress, including domestic violence and sexual abuse, must be addressed.
The Minister believes that alcohol contributes significantly to the suicide scourge in Guyana. He stated that the Ministry of Health has intensified its efforts to make people aware of the negative impacts of alcohol; it has also started programmes to assist persons who are abusers of alcohol.
More than ten substance abuse rehabilitation centres are functioning in Guyana today and the Ministry of Health expects more than 25 of them functioning by the end of 2010.

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